Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero and
East Lansing’s outgoing Mayor Sam Singh are as different as, say . . . Abbott and Costello, the famous comedy duo Bernero says the team is most like.
“You’re the tall skinny one. I’m the short plump one,” Bernero says to Singh.
Bernero is a seasoned politician, always ready with a pithy quote and a handshake. Singh is more laid back, more likely to hold his comments until he’s fully evaluated a situation. More deliberate. Singh showed up to his interview with Capital Gains five minutes early. Bernero was 40 minutes late.
Though they are different, they have two very important things in common. They are both energetic and passionate about creating a regional alliance to foster economic development in both of their communities.
“The first issue we really talked about was reshaping economic development,” Singh says.
Jumping in
When Bernero was elected to office in 2005, he and Singh already had a working relationship. They first met when Bernero asked Singh to support his first run for Michigan Senate.
“I thought he was a real S.O.B,” Bernero says about the first time he met Singh.
“That might be true, actually,” Singh says.
Regardless of whether these comments were made in jest, once both were in office, the two men put aside their differences, tempered their hubris and got to work helpling establish the
Lansing Economic Area Partnership (LEAP).
LEAP is a public/private partnership that works with Ingham, Clinton and Eaton Counties to help cultivate economic growth and bring new businesses to the tri-county area.
LEAP is indicative of Singh and Bernero’s desire to strengthen the region rather than squabbling over developments and innovations that will benefit their city alone. LEAP focuses on building the region, rather than an individual area.
“LEAP is really about promoting our region to the world,” Bernero says. “The more we look like that metroplex, then we win, because we will be sucking that vitality, that life into the central cities.”
Making connections
Creating a region isn’t always an easy sell. When the mayors created the
Entertainment Express, which recently moved its
10,000th rider between the two city centers, they had to change a lot of isolationist attitudes. The Entertainment Express takes late night entertainment seekers down the Michigan Avenue corridor between Lansing and East Lansing for just $1.
“People on both sides of the line didn’t want to do it,” Bernero says. “They were concerned they would lose customers to opposing cities, but that hasn’t been the case. It benefits us all if public transportation is improved.”
Singh says the Entertainment Express is driving economic activity in both cities.
“We think if you can strengthen the whole corridor, so people can live there, there can be entertainment and there can be a variety of restaurants and businesses that can be more eclectic and be the kinds of things downtowns are known for,” Singh says.
The corridor that links the two cities also has to be visually appealing, Bernero says. The City of Lansing is putting the finishing touches on a myriad of Michigan Avenue improvements including street lamps, park benches, rain gardens, new sidewalks, a roundabout near the entrance to the Capitol building and a fountain.
“There’s a benefit to looking like the same city and acting like the same city,” Bernero says about using the corridor to link the cities. “They’re different sides of the same coin.”
Moving forwardBut how do these two sister cities get along when developers or investors are looking to choose one city? Do they fight? Compromise? Threaten to break each other’s toys?
“I can’t recall that we’ve had a battle over trying to keep or steal a developer in my time,” Bernero says. “We have growing sectors and they have growing sectors. Some of them are the same.”
Bernero points to housing developments, which are popping up in East Lansing and Lansing as one example of a growing economic sector the cities share. East Lansing can claim the
West Village condos, the Virginia Avenue project, the Burcham Road development,
Campus Village and Albert Place as new housing projects. Lansing’s not hurting for housing either, laying claim to the
Stadium District condos,
Prudden Place,
Motorwheel Lofts, On the Grand condos,
Printers Row and the
Arbaugh.
“I call them the two major engines of the economy,” Bernero says about the two cities. “You have the state Capitol and
Michigan State University on either end of Michigan Avenue, and some of the synergy just sort of happened naturally and some just didn’t.”
Singh says the two cities do compete intensely for outside investment. When an investor or corporation is looking to move to the mid-Michigan area, both cities do all they can to become their home base.
“That doesn’t mean that it’s one versus the other,” Singh says. “As long as growth is happening in both communities, both communities will be winners.”
Sometimes citizens and the media try to pit the two cities against each other, but the two mayors block this out and focus on the job at hand.
“My goal has always been to push that clutter to the side and focus on the real issues,” Singh says. “Virg and I have been able to do that.”
Now that the Entertainment Express and LEAP are rolling, the two cities are working on collaborating for fire and other safety services. Singh says this type of collaboration could lead to a consolidation of services, which would save taxpayers money and result in more efficient services.
East Lansing’s part in this initiative will be left to someone else. Singh did not run for re-election this year so his successor, Victor Loomis, will have to work with Bernero on future regional initiatives.
Bernero says he is sad to see Singh go.
“Let’s be clear that Sam is an exceptional leader,” Bernero says. “I’ve been fortunate that he was here when I was here. He’s open to opportunity, and he’s an expert negotiator. He’s able to get to yes, and he’s able to work that political process and be hard on the issue and soft on the person. I do feel that the region’s been blessed to have him in this position.”
Ivy Hughes is the development editor for Capital Gains.
Dave Trumpie is the managing photographer for Capital Gains. He is a freelance photographer and owner of Trumpie Photography.
Photos:
Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero and East Lansing's outgoing Mayor Sam Singh
All Photographs © Dave Trumpie